US President Donald Trump dismissed the possibility of using a nuclear weapon against Iran when questioned by a reporter on Monday.
“Have you ruled out using a nuclear weapon against Iran?” the reporter asked.
“They’re totally defeated militarily, so I defeat them, and now I should use a nuclear weapon on top of them? What a stupid question,” Trump responded.
Trump previously said in April that he would not use a nuclear weapon against Iran, telling reporters that nuclear weapons “should never be allowed to be used by anybody.”
Trump calls Iran a 'failed nation'
Asked whether the latest developments with Iran were part of a limited campaign or a return to full-scale war, Trump described Iran as a “failed nation.”
“They've got 350 percent inflation. They have no currency. They're not paying their soldiers. Their leaders are largely dead. Their navy is gone. Their air force is gone. Their surveillance equipment is almost entirely gone,” Trump said.
“That doesn't mean we won't smack them. We'll see what happens,” he added.
Trump also addressed the Strait of Hormuz, saying the US had it in “extremely good shape.”
“You know we're taking over many, many ships. Got through last night, as you know, with the navy's assistance. And we've been averaging 30 ships a night. That's a lot. And a lot of oil is coming out,” Trump said.
“That's why you haven't seen the price of oil go like they thought it might have to go,” he added.
Trump has previously tied pressure on Iran to reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier in August, he said the strait would open “very soon” and warned that Iran would be “hit very hard” if it did not.
'Iran will never have a nuclear weapon'
Trump went on to reiterate that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remained a central objective.
“Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. See, that's what it's all about. It's not about any of the other things. It's about us as a country and for the world. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
“If Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel would have been wiped out. You would have no Israel right now, and you'd probably have no Middle East,” he continued.
Trump added that Iran would eventually be “hitting our cities at some point,” before reiterating, “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump has repeatedly maintained that Iran will not be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon. Earlier in August, he said that Iran “will never have a nuclear weapon” and added that he had “no choice” but to prevent Tehran from obtaining one.